Defending champion Italy kept its three-peat hopes alive at the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup after a comeback, 2-1 quarterfinal win over host nation China to advance the Italians to their fourth consecutive semifinal.
Italy fell into a 1-0 hole after China's Zhang Shuai defeated Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the first singles match (6-0, 6-2). With the Italians on the ropes, Jasmine Paolini stepped up to the plate to face reigning Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in front of a crowd of 10,000 fans cheering on their hometown hero.
"It was a really tough (competition) against China, a really strong team, in their home country," said Paolini, who defeated Qinwen 6-3, 7-6 (4) to force a decisive doubles match, which Paolini also appeared in. She added
with a smile, "I don't know how the guys do (five sets) in the Grand Slams."
The singles match between Paolini and Qinwen was a blockbuster billing. Paolini, the top Italian woman in the world at No. 20 in the WTA rankings, won an Olympic gold medal in doubles at the 2024 Paris Games and recently advanced to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Qinwen won Olympic gold in the women's singles event in Paris and advanced to the US Open quarterfinals earlier this month, despite working her way back from elbow surgery in July 2025.
Paolini entered the match on an eight-match win streak at the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup, which she extended to nine-straight wins with a defeat of Qinwen, her first win over the Chinese player after losing their first four meetings on tour. Qinwen admitted she wasn't feeling her best during the match.
"Before this competition I was a bit sick and I hurt a bit. I was thinking that 'should I let someone else play the match,' but because I know a lot of Chinese fans come to watch me today, I don't want to let them down, so I take the painkiller and step on the court," Qinwen said after her loss. "I didn't perform my best."
Paolini's victory set up a winner-take-all doubles match alongside Sara Errani, the Italian duo that won Olympic gold together in 2024. They defeated the Chinese pair of Guo Hanyu and Jiang Xinyu, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
Italy earned the final spot in the semifinals, where it'll face Ukraine on Saturday. Spain will face off against Czechia in the other semifinal on Friday.
Earlier Thursday, Ukraine defeated Belgium 2-1 in a quarterfinal. Anhelina Kalinina gave Ukraine a 1-0 lead with a win over Jana Otzipka (6-7(6), 6-1, 6-1). Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, the World No. 7, had an opportunity to close out the match, but suffered a loss to Belgium's Greet Minnen, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4. The Ukraine duo of Kalinina and Lyudmyla Kichenok claimed the deciding set over Belgium's Lara Salden and Magali Kempen (6-3, 6-3) to advance to the final four for the second consecutive year.
Billie Jean King Cup Finals schedule
All matches will be held at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre Arena in Shenzhen, China.
Quarterfinals
- Tuesday, Sept. 22: Czechia 2, Great Britain 0
- Marie Bouzkova (CZE) def. Sonay Kartal (GBR), 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-4
- Linda Noskova (CZE) def. Katie Boulter (GBR), 6-2, 7-6 (3)
- Wednesday, Sept. 23
- Spain 2, Kazakhstan 1
- Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (SPA) def. Sonja Zhiyenbayeva (KAZ), 6-2, 6-2
- Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) def. Cristina Bucsa (SPA), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
- Cristina Bucsa/Sara Sorribes Tormo (SPA) def. Anna Danilina/ Zhibek Kulambayeva (KAZ), 6-2, 7-5
- Ukraine 2, Belgium 1
- Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) def. Jana Otzipka (BEL), 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-1
- Greet Minnen (BEL) def. Elina Svitolina (UKR), 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4
- Anhelina Kalinina/Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) def. Lara Salden/Magali Kempen (BEL), 6-3, 6-3
- Spain 2, Kazakhstan 1
- Thursday, Sept. 24: Italy 2, China 1
- Zhang Shuai (CHN) def. Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA), 6-0 6-2
- Jasmine Paolini (ITA) def. Zheng Qinwen (CHN), 6-3, 7-6(4)
- Jasmine Paolini/Sara Errani (ITA) def. Guo Hanyu/Jiang Xinyu (CHN), 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
Semifinals
- Friday, Sept. 25: Czechia vs Spain | 5 a.m. ET
- Saturday, Sept. 26: Italy vs Ukraine | 5 a.m. ET
Championship
- Sunday, Sept. 27: Winners of the semifinals | 5 a.m. ET
How to watch Billie Jean King Cup
The 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be available to stream on billiejeankingcup.com and the Tennis Channel app.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Italy advances to Billie Jean King Cup semifinals thanks to Jasmine Paolini's heroics
